In the early months of the case of Hugo Alberto Wallace Miranda, several suspects were arrested, including Tony and Alberto Castillo, César Freyre Morales, and Juana Hilda González, who reported having been subjected to torture to obtain confessions. Later, Brenda Quevedo was arrested in the United States in November 2007 and extradited to Mexico two years later. Hugo Alberto, a 38-year-old businessman, was kidnapped in the south of what was then the Federal District and, according to the investigation, was murdered, although his remains were never found.
As a result of this tragedy, his mother, Isabel Miranda de Wallace, became a key figure in the fight against kidnapping in Mexico, founding the organization Alto al Secuestro. Isabel Miranda launched a campaign to pressure authorities and demand justice for her son. The kidnapping and murder case of Hugo Alberto Wallace Miranda in July 2005 became a milestone in recent Mexican history.
In October 2020, a UN working group on arbitrary detention requested the Mexican government to release Brenda Quevedo, claiming she had been a victim of torture and wrongful detention. In 2022, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) admitted an appeal presented by Juana Hilda González Lomelí, who was sentenced to nearly 80 years in prison, arguing that her confession was obtained under torture. While these processes continue, Isabel Miranda de Wallace has been a central figure in defending the guilt of the detainees.
According to the official version, the six detained individuals kidnapped and murdered Hugo Alberto, demanding a ransom of 950 thousand dollars. Hugo Alberto's mother has maintained that the accused are responsible for the crime and has rejected requests for the release of some detainees. After 15 years in preventive detention, Brenda was released in 2024 to face her judicial process under house arrest. Now, at 41 years old, Brenda Quevedo must comply with certain restrictions, such as not leaving the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City, not approaching the indirect victims, and appearing at court hearings as necessary.
Despite the passing of Isabel Miranda de Wallace, this case will continue to be one of the most media-covered and controversial in recent Mexican history, highlighting the tensions between victims, justice, and procedural guarantees in a context of alleged torture and possible judicial errors. Jacobo Tagle Dobin was arrested in 2010 in the State of Mexico, while Brenda Quevedo and Jacobo Tagle Dobin are the only two of the six involved who have not yet been sentenced. The Attorney General's Office identified six people as responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Hugo Alberto Wallace, including César Freyre Morales and Tony Castillo Cruz, among others.
